My Boo (Usher and Alicia Keys song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “My Boo” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||
| Single by Usher and Alicia Keys from the album Confessions (special edition) |
|||||
| Released | September 21, 2004 | ||||
| Format | CD single, digital download | ||||
| Recorded | Southside Studios (Atlanta, Georgia) |
||||
| Genre | R&B | ||||
| Length | 3:43 | ||||
| Label | LaFace | ||||
| Writer(s) | Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, Jr., Adonis Shropshire, Alicia Keys, Usher Raymond | ||||
| Producer | Jermaine Dupri | ||||
| Usher singles chronology | |||||
|
|||||
| Alicia Keys singles chronology | |||||
| "Diary" (2004) |
"My Boo" (2004) |
"Karma" (2004) |
|||
"My Boo" is a duet between Usher and Alicia Keys, written by Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, Jr., Adonis Shropshire, Keys, and Usher. Set over a hip hop-style track, the song was produced by Dupri. It was included on the re-release of Usher's fourth studio album, Confessions (2004). The song received mixed reviews from critics, and garnered awards.
The song was released as the album's fourth single in 2004. The single stayed on top of the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks, but failed to equal the success of the album's first two releases, "Yeah!" and "Burn".
Contents |
[edit] Background and composition
Usher and American R&B/soul singer Alicia Keys had previously collaborated with the remix of Keys' 2004 single "If I Ain't Got You", which was released in the United Kingdom. During the production of Usher's fourth studio album, Confessions, they thought for various female singers to pair him with the song. However, Jermaine Dupri, who co-wrote the song including Usher's number-one hits "Yeah!", "Burn", and "Confessions Part II", felt that he had established good relationship with Keys since she had worked with him and Usher.[1]
Dupri based the concept of the song from the perspective of Keys and Usher had relationship in the past.[1] For him, Usher and Keys "talk about how they used to be in love and how those feelings are still lingering despite the two not being involved anymore."[2] For Keys, "The song is talking about the first person you ever really had feelings for.Even though you move on and meet new people, you always remember that first person."[3]
"My Boo" is a hip hop-tinged R&B song with a mid-tempo melody. It is composed in the key of F major, in common time.[4] The lyrics are constructed in verse-chorus-chorus form. Usher starts the intro, and Keys followed her rap-intro, with background vocals from Usher. He proceeds to the first verse and chorus, leading to Keys singing another chorus, altering some of the lyrics of the original chorus to create a dialogue. Keys sings the second verse and Usher for the chorus, with background vocals from Keys. Keys repeats her version for the chorus. The song breaks with Usher and Keys singing "My oh, My oh, My oh, My oh, My Boo", one after the other. Usher repeats the chorus again, and they sing the intro of Keys.
[edit] Release and reception
"My Boo" was among the songs that were not included in the final track listing of Confessions, including "Red Light" and songs recorded Usher recorded with P. Diddy and The Neptunes. "My Boo" and "Red Light" was leaked to the internet, along with other records that were not included during the first release.[5] The song was included in the expanded version of Confessions, alongside "Red Light" and "Sweet Lies" which were only released in the UK version of the album.
Dupri thought of releasing "My Boo" as the fourth single from Confessions once "Confessions Part II" would be leaving the charts.[1] The single was released in the United States as a 12" single on September 21, 2004.[6] It was a double–A side with "Confessions Part II" when it was released in the United Kingdom on December 28, 2004.[7] "My Boo" was re-released in the United Kingdom on January 18, 2005.[8]
The song received mixed reviews from critics. Azeem Ahmad of OMH Media proposed to ban "My Boo" because he felt that the collaboration was a competition among Usher and Alicia Keys "over the hip-pop like beat".[9] Jon Caramanica of Rolling Stone found the duet sentimental.[10]
At the 2005 Grammy Awards, it was nominated for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals; to which it won the latter and the former was awarded to Alicia Keys' song, "You Don't Know My Name".[11] Usher and Keys won for Best R&B/Soul Single by a Duo or Group during the 2005 Soul Train Music Awards.[12]
[edit] Chart performance
"My Boo" was successful in the United States, living up to the chart performances of "Yeah!", "Burn" and "Confessions Part II". The single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 twenty-nine,[13] the highest U.S. entry among all singles released from the album. It entered the top ten, two weeks after, and peaked at number one during its eighth-week stay on the chart.[14] The single remained on the top for six weeks, beating its predecessor "Confessions Part II", which charted at number one for two weeks.[13] However, it failed to match the success of "Yeah!" and "Burn" for twelve- and eight-week run on the top, respectively. It stayed on the top ten for nineteen weeks, leaving the chart after twenty-six weeks.[13] The single was successful on Billboard component charts, topping the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Ringtones.[15]
In Europe, the single had divided responses. The single reached the top five in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland. It entered the top twenty in France, Finland and Switzerland, and top thirty in Austria.[13]
On Media Traffic's United World Chart, the single debuted at number thirty-six. It reached number four after seven weeks, remaining on the chart for twenty-seven weeks. On the United World Chart 2004 Year Ender, "My Boo" was the thirty-sixth best-selling single for accumulating 2,573,000 points.[16]
[edit] Music video
Directed by music video director Chris Robinson, "My Boo" clip was filmed in a New York City subway. The storyline of the video reflects to what the song is talking about.[3]
The footage starts with Usher watching himself on TV; in a club setting while he sings "Bad Girl", a song from Confessions. He turns the set off, and lies in the sofa, starting singing the intro of "My Boo". The video then shows him and Alicia Keys in their separate quarters, preparing to head out, while singing their part of the song. Usher eventually steps out on streets of New York; likewise, Keys is riding aback of a taxi. She leaves the taxi and walks down the street, and meet up and in the middle of Times Square, cuddling each other and on the brink of kissing.
The music video debuted on MTV's Total Request Live at number nine on September 16, 2004. It remained on the countdown for twenty-seven days, becoming Confession video to chart.[17]
[edit] Versions
Usher recorded "My Boo" aside from Keys with various female artists. He collaborated with fellow R&B singer Solange Knowles who sung Keys' part,although it was widely believed at the time that it was her sister Beyoncé Knowles. Brandy and Usher recorded their own version as well, which appeared on her fourth album Afrodisiac. Brandy changed some of the lyrics, singing like having a conversation. However, neither of the two was included in the album.[2] A remix of "My Boo" was also produced, featuring guest vocals from Nelly; however, Keys' part was omitted.[18]
[edit] Track listing
|
|
[edit] Charts
| Chart (2004)[13][15] | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ö3 Austria Top 40 | 29 |
| Belgian Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) | 21 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 5 |
| Euro 200[19] | 6 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 14 |
| German Singles Chart | 4 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 18 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 3 |
| United World Chart | 4 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 1 |
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
| Belgian Ultratop 40 Singles (Wallonia) | 24 |
| Brazilian Hot 100 Songs & Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 1 |
| French Singles Chart | 19 |
| Norwegian VG-lista | 4 |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Reid, Shaheem. "Usher, Alicia Keys Record Duet", MTV News, MTV Networks. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
- ^ a b Reid, Shaheem. "More Duets For Usher As Beyonce, Brandy Grab The Mic", MTV News, MTV Networks, (June 24, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
- ^ a b Reid, Shaheem. "Alicia Keys Shoots Video With Usher, Wants To Do Live Album", MTV News, MTV Networks, (September 14, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
- ^ Digital Sheet Music: My Boo. Musicnotes.com. Musicnotes, Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ Reid, Shaheem. "Usher/ Alicia Keys Video To Accompany Confessions Re-Release", MTV News, MTV Networks, (July 29, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ My Boo. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ Confessions/My Boo, Pt. 2 [UK CD]. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ Confessions/My Boo, Pt. 1 [UK CD]. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ Ahmad, Azeem. Usher & Alicia Keys - My Boo (Zomba). OMH. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ Caramanica, Jon (November 11, 2004). Usher: Confessions - Special Edition. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2008-03-13.
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan. "Charles Tops Grammys With Eight Trophies", Billboard, Nielsen Business Media, Inc., (February 14, 2005). Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil. "Usher, Alicia Keys Win Big At Soul Train Awards", MTV News, MTV Networks, (March 01, 2005). Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ a b c d e Usher and Alicia Keys – My Boo – Music Charts. αCharts.us. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ Billboard Hot 100. αCharts (November 02, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ a b Usher: Artist Chart History. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ United World Chart: Tracks - Countdown 2004. United World Chart. Media Traffic. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ TRL Debuts. Popfusion. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ MTV News Staff. "For The Record: Quick News On Usher And Nelly, Fantasia, Nine Inch Nails, Maroon 5, Nick Lachey & More", MTV News, MTV Networks, (November 22, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
- ^ Euro 200 archives. APC-stats. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
| Preceded by "Goodies" by Ciara featuring Petey Pablo |
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one single October 23, 2004 – November 6, 2004 |
Succeeded by "Drop It Like It's Hot" by Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single October 30, 2004 – December 4, 2004 |
||
| Preceded by "Eu Amo" by Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano |
Hot100Brasil number-one single February 12, 2005 – March 19, 2005 |
Succeeded by "Cadê o Meu Amor?" by Zeca Pagodinho |
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
